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Dr. Murray Haar Named Interim VP for Academic Affairs, Dean of the College

Augustana College today announced that Dr. Murray Haar has been named interim vice president for Academic Affairs & Dean of the College. Dr. Haar succeeds Dr. Mark Braun, who was recently named Provost and Dean of the College for Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn.

Dr. Haar will assume his new position this summer and will serve in the role throughout the 2011-2012 academic year.

Dr. Haar joined Augustana in 1978 and currently serves as professor and chair of the Department of Religion, Philosophy and Classics. He earned his bachelor’s degree from North Dakota State University in Fargo and his master’s degree from Luther Theological Seminary. He holds a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia.

During his time at Augustana, he has served as the Stanley L. Olsen Chair of Moral Values and as the Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Chair in Religion. He received the Frederick C. Kohlmeyer Distinguished Teaching Professorship from 2000-2002 and earned the Vernon and Mildred Niebuhr Faculty Excellence Award for the 2005-2006 academic year.

As a professor, Dr. Haar teaches courses dealing with the Holocaust, Judaism and Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism, Religion and Violence and Courage and Evil. He also teaches Hebrew and Jewish Philosophy and has led student study trips to Israel and India.

During his career, Haar has published a number of articles and given a variety of papers dealing with Israel and the Holocaust.

“With more than three decades of experience in higher education, Dr. Haar knows and understands how Augustana’s academic programming works in tandem with the core values of this institution. His ability to successfully collaborate with students, faculty and administrators makes him a perfect choice for this interim position,” said Rob Oliver, president. “I thank Dr. Haar for his willingness to take on this new challenge and I look forward to working with him to continue to lead Augustana forward in our academic programming.”